Knowles Family Estate (Centre Island, New York)

USA / New York / Centre Island / Centre Island, New York
 house, shingle style (architecture)
This shingle style home was constructed in 1922 by the Knowles family. Kenneth Emerson Knowles was a Manager for the Munson Steamship Line. He purchased property here in 1918 and it is believed constructed the house soon after. K.E. Knowles died in 1925 in Brooklyn at the home of his sister Estelle, Mrs. Alfred H. Bromell. He is buried on Centre Island in the Ludlam Smith Cemetery.

Kenneth Knowles' wife, the former Augusta Ludlam Smith, resided here with her family after her husband's death. The property was originally part of Mrs. Smith Knowles' father's (Charles Dutcher Smith) estate. Mrs. Knowles was descended from both Thomas Smith, the purchaser of much of Centre Island in 1743, and Joseph Ludlam who originally settled on Centre Island in the late 17th century.

Kenneth Knowles' father, Edward Richardson Knowles, was a distinguished Brooklyn engineer who was the last surviving member of the corps of engineers responsible for the successful construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Edward Knowles died on Centre Island in 1935 at the age of 81. Edward R. Knowles spent four years as assistant engineer in charge of the construction of the stone arches under the approach of the New York side of the Brooklyn Bridge and he took great pride in the brickwork lining of the arches, which was of the "skew" variety, both durable and highly ornamental. Edward Knowles' wife, Mary Brumley, was the sister of Josephine Brumley, first wife of Alfred H. Bromell who constructed Westaways on a site about a half mile North of here on Centre Island. Edward Knowles daughter, Estelle, married her uncle Alfred Bromell upon the death of her aunt.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   40°53'15"N   73°31'27"W

Comments

  • Not sure you have this right. Would like to know your sources?? K.E.Knowles
  • Alfred Bromell(1863-1925) married Josephine Brumley (1864-1917) in 1883. Josephine's older sister was Mary Elizabeth Brumley (1853-1923). Both Joesphine and Mary Elizabeth were children of Jerome Brumley(1825-1870) and Mary Duff(1836-?). Mary Elizabeth was married to Edw. Richardson Knowles in 1875. They had Kenneth Emerson (1886-1925) and Estelle May (1895-1969). Estelle May married Alfred Bromell in 1915 and then Charles Arthur Smith(1894-1973) in 1928. Sources are various including NY Times, Bklyn Daily Eagle, Census, etc. Let me know what you think is incorrect.
  • Just a bit confused here. Kenneth Emerson Knowles "resided here AFTER Sr Mr Knowles's death". Yet you say Edward Richardson Knowles died in 1935, and Kenneth Emerson Knowles in 1925? Do you know if this is the same Edward Richardson Knowles who was born in California in June 1851, graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, 1870-71, designed search lights for the US Navy and invented the storage battery? I think it may be.
  • According to the NY Times 5-FEB-1935 "Oyster Bay, NY. Edward R. Knowles,engineer and inventor who assisted in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, died tonight at his home on Centre Island near here." ... "He was survived by a daughter Mrs. Estelle K. Smith." I know that Augusta Knowles did live there as per property records. I have no other reference for Edward owning a home on Centre Island. The Huntington Long Islander noted a sale of 2 acres from A.L.Smith to K.E. Knowles in 1918. I suspect Kenneth Knowles was the builder and his father was staying there with his daughter in law in 1935 when he died.
  • Thanks for this. I have now found the obituary in the NYT, which confirms it is the same person. He designed a dynamo electric machine for a 1883 electric typewriter designed by Bryon Alden Brooks.
  • Centre Island had some classic american success stories. Gubelmann "the father of calculating machines", Oelsner who started time chartered shipping, Kohler - hydrolic jacks, Remington - foundation company and typewriters and quite a few more.
  • Kenneth E Knowles III, if your watching. I am your 2nd cousin once removed, from the Ludlam,Smith, Sullivan line. I have pictures of the Big House, Charles Dutcher Smith, your ancestors and mine. R Jeff Barth
  • I have copies of many E R Knowles lantern slides from the Bromell side of the family.
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This article was last modified 11 years ago